‘Paid actors’ could be behind some antisemitic attacks, Albanese says

Anthony Albanese has said a spate of recent antisemitic incidents do not appear to be motivated by ideology. The Coalition, meanwhile, has demanded more information. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Anthony Albanese says it appears some of the perpetrators behind a spate of antisemitic attacks in New South Wales and Victoria could have been paid actors rather than ideologically motivated offenders, seemingly confirming the target of police investigations.

Hours later, the Australian federal police commissioner, Reece Kershaw, said that authorities were probing whether potential “criminals for hire” were behind at least some of the recent incidents, warning it could be a long investigation.